Reflect. Empower. Thrive
Welcome to Bright Empowering Reflections
Clinical Supervision & Counselling
With Kathy Soper
Accredited Social Worker
Reflective practices are like mirrors for the mind, offering a way to pause and deeply ponder our experiences, thoughts, and actions. They're the quiet moments when we step back, examine our journey, and ask ourselves meaningful questions. These practices allow us to peel back the layers of our experiences, understanding not just what happened, but why it mattered and how it shaped us.
Their importance lies in their power to foster growth and understanding. Through reflection, we gain insights that guide us forward, helping us learn from successes and setbacks alike. It's a process that fuels self-awareness, empathy, and clarity, allowing us to make more informed decisions and become better versions of ourselves. In essence, reflective practices are the compass that guides our personal and professional evolution.
KATHY SOPER
Hello, I’m Kathy an Accredited Social Worker with over 20 years of experience in varied fields of work. My experience includes working as a mental health clinician providing counselling with clients individually and in a group setting, in a safe and supportive environment. My approach to working with clients is through a holistic lens and I recognise that the client is the expert in their own lives. In working with families, I believe that each person contributes to the well-being of others and the functioning of the family unit.
My work in aged care focussed on the well-being of older people through their physical, emotional and mental functioning, understanding that their stories were an important aspect of their identity and validating who they are as individuals. I have provided support to those who have experienced domestic violence and have a deep understanding of the emotional, physical, psychological and financial toll that impacts a person living in a domestic violence situation.
My work has extended to a supervisory role, working with social workers, and social work students on placement and mentoring professionals from other disciplines. I acknowledge each person's unique experiences, skills, and knowledge in their work and provide a space for open and respectful discussion.
I am passionate about critical and self-reflective practice to enhance work with clients. My professional values include working from a strengths-based perspective in a collaborative, empowering and supportive relationship, encouraging each person I work with in supervision.
My practice also includes encouraging professional development, working on career goals and meeting Continuing Professional Development requirements for accreditation.
I have experience editing and reviewing students’ assignments for university and assisting students in completing their degrees. I come alongside students to bring out their best work together. I support the student/graduate in challenging their feelings of the ‘Imposter Syndrome’, encouraging them through the strengths perspective and helping them recognise that they have the knowledge and skills to work in any area they choose with confidence.
“Kathy is a wealth of knowledge in relation to social work practice and theory. Above all, Kathy's biggest contribution to my practice is that she has an incredible way of encouraging me to involve myself in more self-reflection. I highly recommend Kathy as a Clinical Supervisor.”
- Jess
“Kathy gave me the space to develop my skills as a new graduate social worker not only to support my own clients but also my own self care and professional needs.”
- Sarah
“I am extremely grateful for Kathy's unwavering support, and working with her has been a cornerstone of my studies. I am confident that the valuable experience I gained under her supervision will provide me with a solid basis for my future endeavours in my social work career.”
- Amila
“Reflective practice is the ability to reflect on one's actions so as to engage in a process of continuous learning.”
— Donald Schon